Phil Hay

Recruited from Trinity Presbyterian, Phil Hay arrived at Hawthorn as the middle of three brothers to represent the club, sandwiching his career between siblings Bill and Sted. Originally a utility player who found himself on the fringes of the senior side, Hay struggled early on to cement a permanent position in the starting eighteen. Despite this, he etched his name into club folklore as the 19th man in Hawthorn's breakthrough 1961 premiership team, coming off the bench during the Hawks' historic first flag victory over Footscray.

It was the departure of premiership fullback Les Kaine at the end of 1962 that truly unlocked Hay's potential. Stepping into the last line of defence, he defied the physical conventions of the era; standing just 180cm and weighing around 80kg, he was often undersized against the league's hulking full-forwards. Instead of brute strength, Hay relied on superior anticipation, judgement, and fitness to intercept the ball and outthink his opponents. His transition to key defender was so successful that he finished equal second in the 1964 Brownlow Medal count, a rare feat for a fullback, before retiring after the 1966 season.